Washington (District of Columbia, USA)

Washington, District of Columbia, capital of the United States, (1950 pop. 802,178; 2006 city pop. 581,530, metro area pop.5,290,400), located in and identical in territory with the small federal district known as the District of Columbia with 68.3 sq. mi. (177 km.), although the metropolitan area extends into the neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia on both sides of the Potomac. The area is the home of two small Mennonite congregations. The one inside the city limits is Woodridge Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church) with 40 members belonging to the Allegheny Mennonite Conference, founded in 1945, and the other just outside, in Maryland, was the Cottage City Mennonite Church (now Capital Christian Fellowship) with 36 (in 1954) members founded in 1922, belonging to the Lancaster Mennonite Conference. It has also been the location of the office of the National Service Board for Religious Objectors since its creation in 1940.